Phnom Penh: Festivals and Events
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Three events genuinely reshape Phnom Penh for travelers, and knowing their dates matters more than knowing the name: two mean crowded temples and quieter streets, and one turns the entire riverside into a festival that can swamp a hotel booking if you show up unprepared.
Phnom Penh’s calendar at a glance
| Event | 2026 dates | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Khmer New Year (Chol Chnam Thmey) | 14-16 April | Many shops close, families travel, water fights in the streets |
| Pchum Ben (Ancestors’ Day) | 10-12 October | Temples fill for offerings, some businesses close early |
| Water Festival (Bon Om Touk) | ~23-26 November | Huge riverside crowds, boat races, book hotels well ahead |
Khmer New Year, 14-16 April 2026
Chol Chnam Thmey is the biggest holiday on the calendar, and Phnom Penh empties out as families travel to their home provinces while others arrive for street celebrations and water fights. Expect many shops and some restaurants to close for the full stretch; if you’re visiting purely for sightseeing, this isn’t the ideal window, but if you want to see the city at its most festive, it is.
Pchum Ben, 10-12 October 2026
Pchum Ben, Ancestors’ Day, is a Buddhist observance where Cambodians make offerings to monks and pay respects to deceased relatives, with temples across the city busier than usual during the core days. It’s a quieter, more reflective event than the Water Festival, worth knowing about mainly so a temple visit doesn’t catch you by surprise mid-ceremony.
Water Festival (Bon Om Touk), around 23-26 November 2026
This is Phnom Penh’s marquee event, commemorating the reversal of the Tonle Sap’s flow with boat races along the river, music and fireworks drawing huge crowds to Sisowath Quay. If your trip lines up with it, book accommodation well in advance, riverside hotels fill early, and expect the central core to be genuinely packed rather than just busy.
Planning around these dates
Outside these three windows, Phnom Penh runs at its normal pace, and the Nov-Feb dry season overlaps helpfully with both Pchum Ben’s tail end and the Water Festival. For the fuller seasonal picture and when to visit generally, see our Phnom Penh travel tips and our Phnom Penh guide . Check current Phnom Penh hotel rates early if your dates land near the Water Festival.